Vale not daunted by Strollers

KEITH ANDERSON

Vale of Leithen manager Fraser Ogilvie is optimistic his team can climb the Central Taxis Premier Division, starting with a win against second-placed Civil Service Strollers at Marine Drive, kick-off 2.00pm tomorrow.

Vale have lost only one league game, a 3-2 defeat by Whitehill Welfare, although they have drawn four of their six league fixtures. “When we started the season with basically a new side we wanted to be challenging for at least a top-four spot and nothing has changed,” said Ogilvie. “In our only defeat we gave Whitehill a hard time and we had only ten men for most of the game. There is a very good harmony in the dressing-room and the effort from the players is certainly there.”

Turning his attention to tomorrow’s meeting with the Strollers, Ogilvie said: “I know their manager, Chic McAleavy, very well along with their coach, Micky Weir. I know how they work and I never had any doubts that the pair of them would do well with the Strollers. They have brought in some excellent players including John Ross Kerr, Daniel McAleavy and Jim Young. Their entire team is full of good players with a fantastic work ethic.

“We have Kerr Dodds back from suspension and we have been working hard in our training sessions over the past three weeks, including the Saturdays when games were postponed.”

Ogilvie has goalscorers in many areas of the park with Danny Noon and Scott Moffat particularly prolific and also Wayne Sproule and Dodds.

The Strollers’ only absentee is long-term injury victim Charles McAleavy as they aim to put pressure on league leaders Spartans.